Embracing Our Identity as Christ's Ambassadors

Devotional

Day 1: You Are a New Creation in Christ

When you come to Christ, you are not simply improved or patched up—you are made entirely new. God gives you a new heart, new desires, and a new identity that is rooted in His love and purpose for your life. The old labels, failures, and wounds no longer define you; instead, you are called a child of God, forgiven, cherished, and empowered to live differently. Even when you don’t feel new, God’s truth remains: you are a new creation, and the old has truly gone. [07:40]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Reflection: What is one old label or lie about yourself that you need to let go of today so you can fully embrace your new identity in Christ?

Day 2: God Has Reconciled Us and Calls Us to Reconcile Others

God, through Jesus, has brought us back into relationship with Himself, not counting our sins against us. This reconciliation is a gift, and now He entrusts us with the ministry of reconciliation—inviting others to experience the same grace and restored relationship with God. As you have been reconciled, you are called to be a bridge for others, sharing the hope and forgiveness you have received. [12:32]

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV)
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about God’s forgiveness and reconciliation? How can you reach out to them this week?

Day 3: You Are Christ’s Ambassador—On the King’s Mission

As followers of Jesus, we are not on our own mission but on the King’s mission. We are His ambassadors, representing Him in our everyday lives—through conversations, meals, prayers, and acts of kindness. God uses ordinary moments and relationships to plant seeds of faith, and He calls you to be attentive and available for His purposes wherever you are. [14:22]

2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Reflection: Where has God placed you right now to be His ambassador? What is one practical way you can represent Jesus to someone in your daily routine?

Day 4: Proclaiming the King’s Message—The Gospel of Love

The message we carry as ambassadors is simple yet profound: God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. This is not a message of condemnation, but of love, grace, and hope. You are called to share this good news—not by trying to impress God or fix yourself first, but by believing and inviting others to believe as well. [18:43]

John 3:16 (ESV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Reflection: Who is one person you can share the message of God’s love with this week, either through your words or your actions?

Day 5: Empowered by the Holy Spirit—Letting Go of Control

God does not send you out alone; He fills you with His Holy Spirit, giving you the words, courage, and power you need. Letting go of control and trusting God can feel risky and chaotic, but true security is found in Christ, not in predictable circumstances. As you surrender self-preservation and step out in faith, God brings beauty, purpose, and freedom—both in you and through you. [27:58]

Acts 4:31 (ESV)
And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to surrender control to God and trust the Holy Spirit to empower you today?

Sermon Summary

Over the past six weeks, we have been exploring the profound truth of our identity in Christ, culminating today in the reality that we are Christ’s ambassadors. Each of us, regardless of our background or what others have spoken over us, is uniquely chosen and commissioned by God to represent Him in this world. Our journey began by recognizing the gap between what we believe about ourselves—often shaped by past experiences, words, and failures—and what God declares over us. The invitation is to let God’s truth define us: we are sons and daughters, servants, saints, citizens of heaven, and now, ambassadors.

To be an ambassador is not reserved for the elite or the especially qualified. In God’s kingdom, every believer is appointed as a representative, carrying the message of reconciliation to a world in need. This is rooted in the reality that, in Christ, we are made new. The old labels and wounds are removed, and we are given a new heart with new desires. Just as a heart transplant can change a person’s cravings, so too does God’s Spirit transform our inner life, giving us a longing for His purposes.

Reconciliation is at the core of our calling. God, through Jesus, has reconciled us to Himself, not counting our sins against us. Now, He entrusts us with the ministry of reconciliation, inviting us to share this hope with others. Our mission is not about grand gestures or forced conversations, but about living intentionally—being present in everyday moments, sharing meals, offering prayers, and speaking words of life.

We are on the King’s mission, proclaiming the King’s message, with the King’s help. The message is simple yet profound: God so loved the world that He gave His Son, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. We are not left to our own devices; the Holy Spirit empowers us, giving us the words to say and the courage to act. Even when life feels chaotic and out of control, surrendering to God’s leading brings true security and purpose. As we shake off the false labels and embrace our true identity, we step into the fullness of life God has for us—loved, forgiven, empowered, and sent.

Key Takeaways

1. Our True Identity Is Found in Christ, Not in Old Labels The world and our past may have given us names like “failure,” “unlovable,” or “useless,” but in Christ, these are stripped away. God clothes us in righteousness and calls us beloved, forgiven, and precious. Embracing this new identity requires intentionally discarding the old labels and allowing God’s truth to shape our self-understanding. [23:15]
2. Being Made New Means Receiving a New Heart and New Desires Salvation is not a mere improvement of our old selves, but a radical transformation. God gives us a new heart, changing our desires and inclinations. As we grow in Christ, we find ourselves longing for what pleases God, even if those desires once seemed foreign to us. [11:54]
3. Reconciliation Is Both a Gift and a Calling God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus, not counting our sins against us. This reconciliation is a gift we receive, but it also becomes our calling—to be agents of reconciliation in our relationships and communities. We are entrusted with the message that others, too, can be restored to God. [12:32]
4. Ambassadorship Is Lived Out in Everyday Moments Representing Christ is not about grand gestures or public platforms, but about faithfulness in the ordinary. Simple conversations, acts of kindness, and hospitality can be powerful ways God uses us to plant seeds and share His love. We may never see the full impact, but God works through our obedience. [18:02]
5. Surrendering Control to God Brings Security, Not Just Safety Life’s chaos often tempts us to grasp for control, but true security comes from surrendering to God’s leading. This surrender may feel risky and unpredictable, but it is in God’s hands that we find purpose, freedom, and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring beauty out of chaos. [28:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:38] - Introduction and Series Recap
[01:18] - The Identity Gap: What God Says vs. What We Believe
[01:52] - Previous Weeks: Son, Servant, Saint, Citizen
[02:29] - What Does It Mean to Be an Ambassador?
[03:07] - Ambassador Stories: India and the Unexpected
[05:41] - Biblical Definition of Ambassadorship
[06:19] - 2 Corinthians 5: New Creation and Reconciliation
[08:45] - Born Again: A New Heart and New Desires
[10:36] - Heart Transplant Story: Changed Cravings
[12:32] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
[13:45] - Ambassadors: On the King’s Mission
[14:22] - Breaking Down the Ambassador’s Role
[16:49] - Everyday Ambassadorship: Personal Testimony
[18:02] - Proclaiming the King’s Message
[20:01] - The King’s Help: Empowered by the Spirit
[21:19] - Illustration: Throwing Off Old Labels
[25:58] - Paula’s Reflection: Surrender and Security
[29:55] - Invitation to Respond and Prayer
[33:15] - Commissioning: Christ’s Ambassadors
[34:42] - Closing Prayer and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 — “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

- John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Observation Questions

According to 2 Corinthians 5, what does it mean to be a “new creation” in Christ? What changes are described?
What is the “ministry of reconciliation” that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5? Who is it given to?
In the sermon, what are some of the old labels or names that people might carry before coming to Christ?
How does John 3:16 summarize the message that Christ’s ambassadors are called to share?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that being made new in Christ is not just a “patched up” version of our old selves, but a radical transformation. What does this transformation look like in real life?
The “ministry of reconciliation” is described as both a gift and a calling. Why is it important that we see it as both? How might this change our attitude toward others?
The pastor shared a story about throwing off old labels and putting on new ones in Christ. Why do you think it’s so hard to let go of old labels, even after we become Christians?
The sermon says that being an ambassador is not about grand gestures, but about faithfulness in ordinary moments. What are some examples of this from the sermon or your own life?

Application Questions

The world and our past may have given us names like “failure,” “unlovable,” or “useless.” Are there any old labels you still carry that don’t line up with what God says about you? What would it look like to intentionally discard one of those labels this week?
The sermon described how God gives us a new heart with new desires. Have you noticed any new desires or cravings in your life since following Jesus? Is there an area where you still feel stuck in old patterns?
God has entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. Is there a relationship in your life that needs reconciliation? What is one step you could take this week to move toward healing or restoration?
The pastor said that being an ambassador is lived out in everyday moments—sharing meals, offering prayers, speaking words of life. Can you think of a recent ordinary moment where you could have represented Christ? How might you be more intentional this week?
The sermon talked about surrendering control to God, even when life feels chaotic. Is there an area of your life where you are struggling to let go of control? What would it look like to trust God with that area this week?
The message of the gospel is simple: “God so loved the world that He gave His Son.” Who in your life needs to hear this message? What is one practical way you could share it with them?
The Holy Spirit empowers us to be Christ’s ambassadors. Have you ever felt the Spirit give you the words or courage you needed in a conversation? If not, would you be willing to pray for that opportunity this week?

Sermon Clips

So in 2 Corinthians Paul writes the following 2 Corinthians 5 which is where we're going to be this morning paul says "Therefore if anyone is in Christ anyone is in Christ you've given your life to Jesus you're a follower of Jesus if it's one minute one year 10 years 100 years it doesn't really make a difference if you are in Christ if anyone is in Christ you are a new creation a new creation has come not a patched up old creation not a revamped we didn't remodel your car or redo your engine the Bible says that it's a brand new you're a new new creation the old has gone the new is here all this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." [00:06:07]

Therefore if anyone is in Christ anyone is in Christ you've given your life to Jesus you're a follower of Jesus if it's one minute one year 10 years 100 years it doesn't really make a difference if you are in Christ if anyone is in Christ you are a new creation a new creation has come not a patched up old creation not a revamped we didn't remodel your car or redo your engine the Bible says that it's a brand new you're a new new creation the old has gone the new is here. [00:06:07]

All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ not counting people's sins against them thank you Lord for that not counting people's sins against them and he has every right to do that because we are sinful and he's he says "I'm not going to count your sins against you because of what Jesus has done on the cross." [00:06:48]

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us we implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God and just a few things I want to before we move on just to highlight a few things that stood out to me as I read this in the week the old is gone the new is here. [00:07:17]

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors every one of us Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us we implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. [00:07:17]

If you are in Christ the Bible says the old is gone the new is here you're a new God is beginning he's given you a new identity that's in a sense what this whole series has been about you've been given labels through life you're this or you're a that or you're this or you're that when we come to Christ he gives us a new identity our actual true identity that we sons and daughters of the King of Kings that we are loved that we are cherished that God has got a plan a purpose for our lives that we've forgiven that you're a saint. [00:07:38]

We know when we are born when you're the first time you are born when you are born you're born into a broken messed up sinful world that's the that's what we born into we born into a broken world we born into a hurting world we're born into a world full of pain and sorrow mourning yes there are moments of joy but often they fleeting they come and go but then the Bible speaks of us if you are in Christ you are born again. [00:08:54]

When we get a new heart God says when we get saved he gives us a new heart with new desires we we begin to desire the things that God wants us to desire and the things that we perhaps didn't desire before no I'm not interested in God i'm not interested in the Bible i'm not interested in Christianity when we give our lives to Jesus we are born again we given a new life a new heart with new desires new cravings and now we want to please God we want to read the word we want to spend time with with his people so we are a new creation. [00:12:01]

All this is from God so what he's saying here is he says that God God has reconciled us to himself through his son Jesus Christ he's saying "Hey our relationship needs to be brought together again." And the only way that that's going to happen is through my son Jesus Christ and we accept Jesus as our Lord and our Savior we born again we reconcile to our heavenly father and now he says "Now you go and do the same you go and tell others about your relationship with God you go and tell others that they too can be reconciled to their heavenly father." [00:12:59]

When we are made new this is what Jesus does in us when we are reconciled this is what Jesus does between us then we become ambassadors and this is what Jesus wants to do with us we are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us we implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God so we could put it in this way cases as an ambassador I'm on the king's mission proclaiming the king's message with the king's help. [00:13:37]

The Bible says that we are on the king's mission we're not on our own mission we're on the king's mission we're about the king's business jesus says to his disciples "I am sending you out we're on his mission." And it's not weird it doesn't have to be weird and whacked and try try your best to to be different it's it's just through life through through conversations with people look at how Jesus did it there was a time where he met with a guy named Zakius zakius was a short little man he heard Jesus was coming to town and crowds were around and he's like "I'm not going to get to see this guy." [00:14:40]

Through conversation zakius gets saved he gets radically saved in fact you see it in his lifestyle he was a tax collector and he would rob from his own people so he would he would get asked to collect a certain percentage of tax say it was 10% from everybody he would collect 15 or 20% and and and keep 10% for himself and he was robbing his own people so he didn't really have many oaks many people around for a bring and bri but yet Jesus said "I'm coming to your house today." And we see a radical transformation in his life so he's we are on the king's mission and like I said earlier it doesn't have to be weird. [00:15:53]

If I think of my own life I was studying in Durban you might have heard I might have probably told the story before but I was studying in Durban for a while and I remember coming out of the grocery store the one day and there was a guy there and he said to me "Hey sorry sir um can I have a minute of your time i just want to talk to you about something." And you know your immediate response is "Hey but I'm I'm hurry i don't want to talk i'm busy i I know what you want and I'm probably not going to be able to help you so I said "Okay no problem." So we sat down on the bench outside the shop and uh I I gave him a chocolate i had a chocolate we were busy talking and he started telling me about Jesus started telling me about God and obviously I'd heard about God i'd heard about Jesus but I wasn't anywhere near God at that stage in my life very far from God and he just started this conversation and um we ended up meeting regularly i I invited him over to where I stayed and he would every week he'd come we' he'd open up the Bible we'd read the Bible together we would talk about it and we did this for weeks on end and eventually I just got tired and irritated and I said "Nah I'm not interested anymore." And he was like "Okay no problem." And he and he left and I never ever saw him again that's one of the guys I'm like "Hey when I get to heaven Lord how show me who that was i want to tell him cuz if I look back at my life he might have gone away from that conversation thinking "Oh gee I spent weeks with this oak." And then he just says "Okay he's not interested." But if I look at my own life I see those were seeds planted and he didn't even know he was doing that so we're on the when we when I say we're on the king's mission don't just open up your eyes to the relationships and the people that God has placed around you it's sometimes just through a meal or a little chat or a conversation or a message or a prayer or a WhatsApp or something just don't don't don't minimize what God can do through your prayers and through your messages and through your meals having people in your home so we're on the king's mission. [00:16:31]

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." For God so loved the world not God was so angry with you or God was frustrated with you or God was irritated with you or God was disappointed in you the Bible says God so loved you he so loved the world that what did he do did he stand back and do nothing no he gave he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him not tries your best to please him or impress him or fix your life up first before you come to Jesus the Bible says for whoever believes in him put your faith in Jesus lord I believe in you that person will not perish but have everlasting life that's the gospel it's as simple as that that we serve a God who's loved us so much that he sent his son to come and die for us to pay the price for us to reconcile us to our heavenly father something that we could never ever do no matter how good you are no matter how good you try no matter how hard you try the Bible says there's one way there's only one way to the father and that is through Jesus Christ our Lord and our savior that's the message we proclaim we're on the king's mission proclaiming the king's message with the king's help. [00:18:28]

Jesus says "Don't worry about what or what to say or how you will say it." At that time you'll be given what to say for it will be not you speaking but the spirit of your father speaking through you and I love that that as we step out in faith God will help us say what we need to say at the right time and not only the words to say the Bible speaks of us being filled with the Holy Spirit i don't know if you did this morning's um Bible daily reading on the Bible app but it spoke about where where the disciples were praying and the and the place was shaken and the Holy Spirit came and it says the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and they began to speak the word of God boldly not only will God give us what to say he'll also give us the Holy Spirit he's given us the Holy Spirit to to help us and to fill us and to anoint us and to empower us what to say. [00:20:01]

Maybe you're here today and I don't know what what words have been spoken over you maybe maybe maybe you got a family and they said "Hey man i'm not speaking this over you but but just okay." But maybe maybe but but maybe you've been told you're a failure maybe you've been told "Hey man you're not going to amount to anything in life." I don't know what what people have spoken over you maybe it's family members maybe it's teachers maybe it's sports coaches like me maybe been told you're a loser maybe you've been told Maybe you been told you're ugly i don't know i mean words hurt eh there's some words that we carry for the rest of our lives and it can be good words it can be bad words you remember words maybe maybe you've been told you're annoying maybe you've been told you you're useless you're not going to actually amount to much in life and we carry these things with us in life and they break us and they hurt us and they shatter us and you've been told you're stupid maybe you've been told that nobody's ever going to be able to love you maybe you're unlovable unloved unlovable maybe you've been told you're a dropout hey man your life is so messed up i don't think you're going to amount to anything in life maybe maybe you've been told or maybe you've said this to yourself I'm never going to change i've tried this thing i've tried Jesus i've tried alcohol i've tried drugs i've tried sex i've tried rock and roll i've tried whatever and I'm just you know maybe you've been told nobody cares about you maybe been told you're weak i don't know i don't know i'm running out of space here i don't know what you I don't know what you've spoken over your own life and I don't know what people have spoken over you but the Bible says that when we're in Christ we're a new creation a new creation and the old is gone so we take this off actually this is not Vernon anymore we throw that away and the Bible says that he gives us a cloak of righteousness he clothe us in righteousness and he says "Amen this is for you but which way around?" There we go it's not so rocket science to put a jacket on Vernon gee hey you can zip it up yeah and we've been looking the last few weeks we saying "Hey God what are you what are your words over me what does the Bible say we are I'm a I'm a child of God that's what the Bible says says I'm a saint old is gone the new has come i am loved you loved Vernon you're loved by the King of Kings you are forgiven absolutely not because of anything you've done because of my son who loves you i am the Bible says I'm what i'm dead to sin these are the labels so not labels actually they're identities this is the identities these are the identities we need to carry in our lives going forward say I'm alive to Christ and I thank you God i'm a new creation even though I sometimes don't feel like it if I'm honest I don't feel too new some days but but I've got a God who knows me he knows me he doesn't only just know me he cares for me he cares about we ever we serve a God who cares about us who loves us who knows us he says "Hey man you are you are precious to me and I love you." And not only that he says "Yeah I'm called i'm called i'm not just alive and a saint and a new creation for nothing god has called me and not only called me he's empowered me and if I look back over the last few weeks I hope that we've begun to throw off some labels that we've carried that are not from God and we begin to embrace the identity that God has for us i am alive i am empowered god cares for me i'm a saint i'm dead to sin i'm a new creation i'm called he loves me i'm precious and I'm empowered by the Holy Spirit amen thanks Vernon you can take that with you. [00:21:38]

Sometimes in order God for God to prepare us to assume our our correct identity he shakes our world up and he shakes all the things off that James did that whole illustration he gets us to shake off all those labels that he doesn't want us to be carrying anymore so that we can put on his ladles his truth but um it kind of reminded me of the story of Peter when Peter steps out the boat he as as long as he's keeping his eye on Jesus he's walking on the water but as soon as he looks down and he sees the waves and all the circumstances around him then he starts to sink and he loses focus yeah now in life we always going to we always going to have chaos jesus does make that statement he says "In this life we will always have trouble." And there'll be times when we feel out of control when we feel like we're drowning and all we can see are the the waves of life crashing around us and usually our first response is self-preservation we try and protect ourselves and as we try to put things in place to control the chaos you know we create those boxes so we can kind of try and put a lid on that chaos or we we try and predict and plan follow program to manage the chaos you know we we try all sorts of things to try and control the chaos but putting those things in place we're actually seeking to control to be the one in control and the thing is when we give our life to Christ we actually saying we hand over control to him and that can be really hard because we don't know where God's going to always take us we can't always predict or see what's going to happen and it sometimes it doesn't feel very safe okay but there's a difference between safety and security in knowing where I'm going safety is to do with our physical circumstances and our situations that we find ourselves in but security in Christ means I know where I'm going one day. [00:26:56]

Once we do that we move out of our comfort zone we move into God's zone okay as I said which is not always safe it's not a predict always predictable but it brings life and God is at the center of it and he has the ability to bring beauty and purpose out of that chaos and the Holy Spirit will move and there'll be this rushing of his his power of him it's like a rushing water that comes it breaks the chains and it sets people free and it will bring restoration and renewal and the last verses I just want to leave with you are whoever believes in me as scripture has said rivers of living water will flow from within them and then the last one is whoever lose finds their life will lose it and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. [00:29:10]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does it mean to be a new creation in Christ?

How does reconciliation redefine our relationship with God?

In what ways are believers called to be ambassadors?